The 90s Halloween Girlhood
Ok, so nobody asked — but if I had gone trick-or-treating when I was a kid, I would have wanted to dress up as Kat from Casper the Friendly Ghost. I was mesmerized by that movie growing up — it was so beautiful, and the chemistry between Kat and Casper was so sweet. My adolescent heart was here for it.
But we can’t downplay the classics: the traditional witchy costumes, the Halloween punk goths, or even the occasional fairy princess — all shaped by 90s kids’ horror films. Those films influenced the costumes of that era and still echo in how we dress up (or dream up) Halloween today.
In this post, I’m breaking down a few nostalgic costume tropes from 90s kids’ horror movies — and how their spirit still lingers in modern fashion.
The Dreamy Ghost Girl — Kat from Casper
I always imagined myself as the quirky girl next door — the one who was hard to read, into something niche and a little odd, but in a “I believe in ghosts” kind of way.
Kat embodied that perfectly: dreamy, melancholic, and approachable. With her oversized knits, soft flannels, washed denim, and pale tones, she captured the cozy-spooky vibe that set the tone for early 2000s soft goth fashion.
That same aesthetic resurfaced years later in the Tumblr-era ghost-girl look — romantic goth, coquette ghostcore, and cozy haunted-house styling. The kind of girl who looks like she haunts the library instead of the attic.
The Slayer Chic — Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I never got into Buffy the Vampire Slayer myself, but my sister has been binge-watching it all year — and I cannot understate its influence on Y2K grunge revival and the “final girl fashion” aesthetic.
Buffy marked the shift from damsel to heroine — blending femininity with toughness. It was mall goth meets Valley Girl rebellion: leather jackets, mini skirts, and combat boots that said I can fight vampires and still look iconic doing it.
Even if you weren’t a full-on Buffy, the vibe lives on in today’s hybrid styles — think thrifted Y2K with a little bite.
The Lost Starlet — Anna from Tower of Terror
Now, if I had gone trick-or-treating as a kid, this would’ve been my second choice. Another call back to ghosts — but with more vintage elegance, something dreamlike yet melancholic.
I loved the idea of wearing something soft and playful — a shimmer in the dark, like Anna Peterson in Tower of Terror. The film captured that ghostly grace the 90s did so well: glamorous but tragic, cinematic but heartfelt.
If you want to channel this look, think “ghost girl” but make it chic — thrifted silk, romantic silhouettes, and just a touch of cinematic decay. Ethereal, not eerie.
The Enchanted Coven — The Craft
If I had gone trick-or-treating as a teenager, this would’ve been me.
I didn’t discover The Craft until college, but my high school self would have lived for it. The movie was magnetic — moody, angsty, and dripping with teenage mystique.
The Craft gave rise to the witchy rebellion — proving that darkness could be feminine, powerful, and a little dangerous. It was lace trims, black skirts, crucifix layers, and oxblood lips. The perfect tension between sacred femininity and dark magic.
To reinterpret it today: pleated skirts, sheer blouses, smoky eyes, and thrifted alt-girl glamour. More dreamy than grunge, but totally magnetic.
Closing Thoughts
This post was such a nostalgic trip — I had to dig through the old boxes of my memory bank for this one.
Every one of these looks is such a vibe, and I can’t wait to have my own 90s Halloween costume revival this year. Because yes, I will be going trick-or-treating — or at least going to the store in full costume to buy a constellation candy bag.
I think I’m siding with my teenage self this year — something inspired by The Craft.
What about you?
✨ Find out what your 90s Halloween costume says about you in Friday’s post: “What Does Your 90s Halloween Costume Say About You?”
light & gather 
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